Robert Maxwell Dunscomb

Robert was born on April 28, 1938 to the late Robert Wright Dunscomb and Myrtle Maxwell Dunscomb in Ossining, NY. He counted it a great good fortune of his life that he was able to attend and graduate from Scarborough Day School in Scarborough, NY, where he made many lifelong friends. It was there that he met Alison Harden Dunscomb whom he married in 1960. Robert and Alison and had three children, Robert “Bobby” Harden Dunscomb in 1960, Paul Edward Dunscomb in 1963 and Judy Kathleen Dunscomb in 1967. Although separated in the late 1970s, Robert and Alison remained friends until the end.

Robert was insatiably curious, with a great love of the English language, history, physics, automobiles, scenic drives, and all things radio. He had a long and varied career working for IBM, starting as a computer mechanic, learning to code, and eventually working at the T. J. Watson Research Center in Ossining, NY. He was especially proud of having been part of a team that developed the first system to transmit computer data across analog telephone lines. Always fascinated with the power of the mind, in retirement he became a Certified Board Hypnotist and founded Hudson Valley Hypnosis, a practice specializing in helping people to cease smoking and other harmful behaviors. In 2013, he moved to Charlottesville to be closer to his daughter and grandsons.

Robert is preceded in death by his son Bobby in 1995, his sisters Lois Ann Dunscomb O’Connell in 2012, and Myrna Katzenburger Pradella, brother Paul Allen Dunscomb in 2016, and dear companion Marjorie Schong in 2010.

Robert is survived by his daughter, Judy, her husband George Stetkevych and their two sons Robert Jose Dunscomb Stetkevych and Andrew Santiago Dunscomb Stetkevych, of Charlottesville, VA; his son Paul Edward Dunscomb, of Anchorage, AK; his granddaughter Elizabeth May Evans Lohnes and her husband Ben, and great grandsons Caedmon and Asher, of Boston, MA; his brother in law Joseph O'Connell, niece Kathleen O'Connell Dwyer, and nephews Sean O'Connell, Joseph O'Connell, and Ricky Pradella, and Alison Dunscomb.

Robert’s family will have a private ceremony of remembrance on Friday, March 18, 2022 at Westminster Presbyterian Church in Charlottesville. He desired that his remains be laid to rest in the Hudson Valley where he lived most of his life, and a celebration of his life with friends, former colleagues, and family unable to travel to Virginia is being planned near Poughkeepsie, NY this spring.

Robert gave generously to various social and environmental causes. At the end of his life he was particularly concerned by the war in Ukraine. His family would be deeply honored by any memorial contributions in Robert's name to humanitarian efforts of the International Rescue Committee, or Doctors without Borders.